Range Rover introduced the newly updated Evoque as clearly a compact sport utility for the city but with the usual dose of Land Rover capability. This new Evoque provides more luxury than the previous model and several world-wide firsts in technology. This “luxury” tilt is not to say that these models are any less “capable” than a traditional Land Rover, ala Discovery, Discovery Sport. Just a bit higher profiled from a luxury standpoint and more geared for on-road. Not a slouch by any means. It’s a Land Rover by any means.

This model is also pushing more into the sustainability areas that more manufacturers need to embrace these days. In my opinion it’s the steps toward being more environmentally and socially responsible as well as the new technology that makes this new Evoque special. We’ll get into those in a moment, but first let’s review the obvious changes.

Visually

This new model has followed suit with the other Range Rover siblings in adopting the sleeker and more efficient front end and headlights first seen on the Range Rover Velar. I do enjoy the visually appealing narrower lighting systems these models share. This is probably the most readily identifiable change upon first glance. These new systems also include “sweeping (animated) indicators”.

The lighting can include Range Rover’s Matrix lighting systems that automatically adjust the throw pattern away from traffic. This is great to allow the driver to utilize maximum visibility by using the high beam lights WITHOUT the need to manually dim them for oncoming traffic etc. Unfortunately, we in the United States aren’t granted this benefit due to antiquated vehicle regulations. There’s talk of this regulations against advanced lighting systems being updated. Let’s hope they do.

The design of the new Evoque though mildly updated on the outside still maintains its award-winning design language. It maintains the popular short rear overhang making for a compact and efficient urban vehicle with great departure angles.

The silhouette is the time tested Evoque style. Rising beltline with a falling away roofline. It still looks great, maybe even better in this refreshed form.

This design looks great on this vehicle as refreshed. Land Rover has done wonders in bringing vehicles that are concept car worthy to market without much loss of their initial pre-production forms. Take the Range Rover Velar for instance. I personally believe this Evoque looks much more acceptable than the Velar does upon second glance. The ground-breaking Velar is a strikingly beautiful vehicle. The sweeping lines that first catches your eye in wonder, stretches the look a bit too far. I personally prefer the Evoque.

Visually

This new model has followed suit with the other Range Rover siblings in adopting the sleeker and more efficient front end and headlights first seen on the Range Rover Velar. I do enjoy the visually appealing narrower lighting systems these models share. This is probably the most readily identifiable change upon first glance. These new systems also include “sweeping (animated) indicators”.

The lighting can include Range Rover’s Matrix lighting systems that automatically adjust the throw pattern away from traffic. This is great to allow the driver to utilize maximum visibility by using the high beam lights WITHOUT the need to manually dim them for oncoming traffic etc. Unfortunately, we in the United States aren’t granted this benefit due to antiquated vehicle regulations. There’s talk of this regulations against advanced lighting systems being updated. Let’s hope they do.

The design of the new Evoque though mildly updated on the outside still maintains its award-winning design language. It maintains the popular short rear overhang making for a compact and efficient urban vehicle with great departure angles.

The silhouette is the time tested Evoque style. Rising beltline with a falling away roofline. It still looks great, maybe even better in this refreshed form.

This design looks great on this vehicle as refreshed. Land Rover has done wonders in bringing vehicles that are concept car worthy to market without much loss of their initial pre-production forms. Take the Range Rover Velar for instance. I personally believe this Evoque looks much more acceptable than the Velar does upon second glance. The ground-breaking Velar is a strikingly beautiful vehicle. The sweeping lines that first catches your eye in wonder, stretches the look a bit too far. I personally prefer the Evoque.

Responsibility

The improvements that I find most interesting and appreciative on this new Rover are the steps toward sustainability for one. Social conscience has over the years began to swing toward less animal byproducts in the form of leathers in the interiors. As first introduced in the Velar with the wool seating surfaces, Range Rover has gone even further in responsible interiors on the new Evoque.

This new Evoque not provides options for true non-animal-based interiors. Seating surfaces contain recycled textiles as well as plant-based alternatives to a degree not seen in other vehicles. It is a truly “reductionist” design philosophy. Even wood fibers are included to make these areas appealing, beautiful yet durable and a true alternative to leather.

Technology

With the newly introduced Touch Pro Duo screen system with a 12.3-inch driver command center, this Evoque also follows other Range Rovers in simplifying the dash area. It’s cleaner, more refined and modern than before. True, there are those times where an actual button is preferred for simple commands, but the trade-off to a clean design is worth it.

Technologically is where it seems Range Rover is pushing the envelopes to be followed by other manufacturers. It seems the Land Rover method of rotating a dial to select different driving modes has been copied industry-wide. Several other Land Rover firsts such as hill decent and terrain progress controls are all over the industry for good reason.

This new Evoque has some new tech that will no doubt be introduced on the other Range Rover models in due course, but for now are only available on this new model. They include something we saw on a concept a couple of years ago. The ability to virtually make the hood invisible. This was first shown for use in driving off-road over the crest of a hill. There was no way to see what was on the other side nor the very important wheel placement.

Now with the clever use of available camera systems, the new Evoque has a part of its new Clear Sight System a way to see precisely where the wheels are traveling by virtually looking through an invisible hood area directly down onto the wheels. This image is shown on the center screen and shows a live view of what’s directly in front of the wheels and their path. Genius.

I can only hope they at some point introduce another advancement they were working on where they van virtually make the A-Pillars see-thru. Therefore, eliminating a habitual blind spot.

This Evoque is truly a utility vehicle and for those times you have large items in the rear storage area that might block your view from the inside rear-view mirror, we have a solution. Incorporated into the rear rooftop shark fin is a camera that can have its display shown on the rearview mirror. Similar to the mirror in some Cadillacs, this provides an unobstructed view which is typically safer as it provides a wider angle than the actual physical mirror.

From a performance standpoint, this new Evoque comes with a choice of seven new power plants. These include a hybrid system to provide even more efficient urban operation.

Overall, I feel with the introduction of all of the other updates of Land Rover and Range Rover models, this Evoque was somewhat left in the dust. It was relatively underpowered and needed a refresh. After eight years, it has been proudly refreshed without losing any of its initial appeal. The new technology and sustainability additions that are exclusively included for the time being is great. We look forward to seeing it in person for a hands-on review.

As in true OurDailyTread style, we’ve included some of the descriptions and facts directly from the source below.

New Range Rover Evoque Press Kit

NEW RANGE ROVER EVOQUE: RESPONSIBLE LUXURY AT ITS HEART

Land Rover has put electrification at the heart of the new Range Rover Evoque. Hybrid-electric powertrains have been introduced to the Evoque family for the first time designed to deliver greater efficiency, performance and refinement in all conditions

Mild Hybrid

Jaguar Land Rover certified as Carbon Neutral for UK manufacturing and product development, including the impact of the new Range Rover Evoque

New Evoque is designed to be electrified: mild-hybrid model available from today with a plug-in hybrid version due within 12 months

Efficient new 48V mild-hybrid powertrain is designed for urban driving, reducing emissions and improving fuel economy with no charging required

Land Rover’s commitment to sustainability is evident in range of innovative new textiles, which offer the customer sumptuous alternatives to leather

Up to 33kg of natural and recycled material is used in every Range Rover Evoque

New SUV Premium Transverse Architecture enables electrification as well as more space

Available to order now: New Range Rover Evoque priced from £31,600 in the UK

SUSTAINABILITY

Jaguar Land Rover has focused on reducing the environmental impact of vehicles and operations. This has included reducing the CO2 it takes to build each car by 46% versus 2007 levels and the purchase of zero carbon electricity for all UK operations. As a result, Jaguar Land Rover has now worked with the Carbon Trust to certify as Carbon Neutral, the UK manufacturing and production development sites, from April 2017 to March 2018. This includes the manufacture and development of the new Range Rover Evoque.

Interior Kvadrat – New Range Rover Evoque

Built on Land Rover’s new mixed-metal Premium Transverse Architecture, Evoque fuses efficient Ingenium diesel or petrol powertrains, hybrid-electric power and sumptuous, sustainable materials. Up to 33kg of natural and recycled material is used in each Evoque to minimise environmental impact. The recycled materials are taken from a mixture of post-consumer or post-industrial sources within the supply chain.

Land Rover’s drive for sustainability is further reflected in its move towards a wider choice of responsibly-sourced interior materials that retain the Range Rover Evoque’s trademark luxurious feel. Featuring ground-breaking textiles and trim finishes, two new seat options are on offer.

Customers can choose seats upholstered in a premium alternative to leather developed by Danish textile experts, Kvadrat – a high-quality material that combines a durable wool blend paired with a technical Dinamica® suedecloth, made from 53 recycled plastic bottles per vehicle*.

In addition, customers will have the option of a new Eucalyptus textile produced from natural fibres that when grown, uses significantly less water than traditional materials and features alongside a new lightweight performance material not derived from animals. Each option has a sumptuous feel and unique design, offering a truly premium alternative to leather.

Interior Eucalyptus – New Range Rover Evoque

The way we make our vehicles and the materials that go into them is of vital importance to everyone at Jaguar Land Rover. The use of recycled and natural materials in the new Evoque along with the addition of hybrid powertrains not only enhances its appeal but also underpins our approach to sustainable luxury.

Chris Thorp

Responsible Business Director, Jaguar Land Rover

The new Evoque will be available from launch with a 48-volt mild-hybrid electric vehicle powertrain that harvests energy normally lost during deceleration and stores it in the underfloor battery. At speeds below 17km/h (11mph), while under braking, the engine will shut off to minimise emissions. This technology combines to reduce fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions, now as low as 50.4mpg (5.6l/100km) and CO2 emissions of 149g/km (NEDC Equivalent)**.

Sustainability

Electrification is central to future mobility solutions and mild hybrids are the first step on this path. An MHEV need never be charged and delivers real-world fuel consumption reductions that benefit almost all Evoque buyers. And for those customers that want silent Range Rover refinement, a plug-in hybrid model will be available within 12 months.

Dave Skipper

Land Rover Hybrid System Integration Manager

When the driver accelerates, the stored energy is redeployed to assist the engine under acceleration, reducing fuel consumption and making the new Evoque an ideal SUV for driving in congested, stop-start city traffic. This mild hybrid powertrain will be joined by a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle model in 2019.

Customers can also choose between six Ingenium four-cylinder powertrains, with three petrol and diesel variants, respectively. The most efficient of these is the 150PS diesel (FWD) with emissions of 143g/km (NEDC Equivalent) and 5.4l/100km (52.3mpg) while, at the other end of the performance scale, there is a 300PS AWD petrol model with 400Nm of torque, emissions of 186g/km (NEDC Equivalent) and 8.1l/100km (34.4mpg).

InControl Remote keeps customers connected to Evoque, wherever they are in the world

Wireless over-the-air updates ensures the latest software is always available

Available to order now: New Range Rover Evoque priced from £31,600* in the UK

TECHNOLOGY

ClearSight Ground View – the realisation of Land Rover’s transparent bonnet concept previewed on the Discovery Vision concept – is a world first. Cameras in the front grille and on the door mirrors project a feed onto the central touchscreen to show what is ahead of and underneath the front of the vehicle with a virtual 180-degree view. Helping the driver maintain visibility when negotiating extreme terrains as well as high city-centre kerbs, this is yet another technological evolution that makes the new Evoque ideal for traversing the urban jungle, the actual jungle and everything in between.

ClearSight Rear View Mirror

The new smart rear-view mirror transforms into an HD video screen at the touch of a button. By displaying a rear-facing camera feed onto the mirror, the driver’s view remains unrestricted by passengers or large items in the back, while also providing a wider 50-degree field of vision using a camera positioned above the rear window. This technology also delivers clearer visibility in low light conditions.

Designed with a protective lip to prevent mud and water soiling the lens, there is also a hydrophobic coating that repels water spray. In the unlikely occurrence that the camera is ever obscured, drivers can change back to a traditional rear view mirror at the flick of a switch.

Interior infotainment – New Range Rover Evoque

Interior infotainment – New Range Rover Evoque

Interior infotainment – New Range Rover Evoque

Land Rover’s Touch Pro Duo infotainment system is central to the digital interior experience, combining two sleek 10-inch high-definition glass touchscreens, a 12.3-inch driver display behind the steering wheel and full-colour head-up display. The result is a beautiful, ‘hidden until lit’ interior filled with state-of-the-art digital interfaces. The ergonomic design and capacitive switches are easier and more intuitive to operate, allowing the driver to easily control a wide variety of technologies. There is smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Click & Go rear-seat tablet holders with charging capability, 4G WiFi hotspot (for up to eight devices) and six USB slots located throughout the cabin. The new Evoque is the first Land Rover with Smart Settings technology, which uses advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to learn the driver’s habits over time. The ‘self-learning’ technology recognises the driver from their key fob and phone and will set up their seat and steering column position on approach, allowing for up to eight profiles to be registered. After a few journeys, Evoque remembers the driver’s preferred temperature settings, media preferences and commonly dialed numbers depending on the time or day of the week.

To own a Range Rover is to be at the forefront of vehicle technology, for capability and driver convenience. The new Evoque is one of the most technologically advanced vehicles available and with the smart rear view mirror it literally has eyes in the back of its head.

Alex Heslop

Director of Electronics and Software, Jaguar Land Rover

The InControl Remote smartphone application allows customers to stay in touch with their Evoque, no matter where in the world they are. Customers can use their phone to find their vehicle or check the remaining fuel range, lock and unlock the vehicle remotely, as well as pre-heat or cool the cabin to the desired temperature. Evoque is future-proofed, with wireless software updates to the infotainment and vehicle systems which means the compact luxury SUV continuously improves over time, without having to visit a retailer. To ensure the wellbeing of occupants, Evoque is fitted with Cabin Air Ionisation technology that removes impurities from the environment. When paired with Air Quality and pollen filters, plus a more peaceful cabin thanks to reduced road noise levels, Land Rover engineers have ensured a more relaxing and refreshing experience on any journey.

All in-car features should be used by drivers only when safe for them to do so

Drivers must ensure they are in full control of the vehicle at all times